Posted in Austerity Program 2008

So I have been off the austerity program, and my bank account reflects it.  I cannot believe how much more everything costs now.  It is just staggering!  I do want to share this cool new free shareware I downloaded:

SimpleD Budget

I love this software!  I am a visual person and it has really allowed me to see where I am overspending.  It has nice pie charts and my favorite feature, a slide bar for adjusting amounts.  They didn't even pay me to say this!  But they could...

I definitely am spending on things that are unnecessary, like the gym.  But really, it is necessary if I expect to stay married and out of prison.  Believe me.  So factoring in that expense has been difficult, but things are working out.  There is just nothing extra now.

I've set the monthly food budget at $350.  I did not meet it in August; instead, I went over it by $100.  I learned with my nice new budget that I spend more money the more I go into our local Giant Eagle (which is like a Krogers or something).  But if I just do my shopping at Wal-Mart and Costco I can meet the budget.

I already went shopping for September.  I find that my biggest new expense is lunch foods.  I do not want to eat fast food, since it's (delicious) toxic poison, and also not part of either my austerity program, nor my getting-thin and fit program.  I bought a lot more mac & cheese and bread and such for the kids.  And, wouldn't you know, they must all be growth-spurting because I just cannot believe how much they eat!!!  It's gross.  S had 3 giant helpings of green beans last night, plus chicken, plus baked beans.  And woke up starving for more!

Which reminds me:

Green beans with tomatoes

fresh green beans (though you probably could use frozen), maybe about 1 lb or a little more
handful of cherry tomatoes, or other tomatoes, cut into cherry tomato size
tbsp of butter or margarine (oil probably okay here too, but not as tasty)
garlic to taste (i used powdered, shhhh)
pepper to taste
1/2 tbsp sugar
salt to taste
few generous shakes of dried basil, or fresh, chopped

Cook the green beans in boiling water, about 10 minutes, until done.  In skillet, melt butter, add spices/herbs/sugar.  Add tomatoes and cook until just getting soft.  Toss in green beans, coating them with the sauce.  Don't be too violent about it; you don't want to hurt your tomatoes.  Serve.

I don't even like tomatoes.  This is so good.  This little number was virtually free as I am tending my parents' garden while they are on vacation.  I used their green beans and tomatoes.  So really, it only cost me the butter.

Posted in School Daze

We started school today.  J did the end of lesson 21 from MUS and K reviewed lesson 1 with me and then built numbers with the blocks.  So that was pain-free.  For SS we read a few pages out of What Your First Grader Needs to Know on ancient history.  We listened to some George Gershwin and read a book about him.  The kids are really interested in learning about composers this year.  Who knew?  S and I read some books about firemen and an alphabet book.  Then K and J did their first 2 days out of LLATL, which was fine.  Now that I've written it down it seems like a lot!!!  But it didn't take that long, really.  The kids also played educational computer games today but I am not really counting that.

And, I managed to do 3 loads of clothes and today's zone, which is the living room.  I even took the curtains down and washed them.  They were just grossing me out.  I made dinner and went to the gym.  So today I am feeling very good and like the old me!  It is turning out that the old me is around a lot more lately!  Hooray!!!

If I could just stay off Facebook, I would probably be able to spin my own yarn or something!

Posted in School Daze

Turns out I am blog-dependent or something.  I have been considering ending my blogging days but can't seem to give it up.  So too bad for all of you!  Ha ha ha.

I am SO ready for school.  We are starting on Monday.  I just want my routine back.  We are pretty sure we are switching to year-round school.  No one here enjoys the long summer break.  We can still take 6 weeks off in between school years and enjoy summer!  I like the idea of longer breaks built into the year.  I think it'll be better for everyone.

So, here's what the plan is (tentatively, of course!) for school this year:
J--Math-U-See Alpha, Family Math
K--Math-U-See Primer (review) then Alpha, Family Math
J and K--Learning Language Arts Through Literature Blue book, animals and habitats, dinosaurs, weather, plants/trees, ancient History, music (I think we're doing composers and their works)
S--Singapore Math 1A and 1B, Family Math, alphabet, counting to 10, animals, community, nursery rhymes, other preschool-type goodies

The local library is having a day of homeschool classes, so they will also be attending there (J and K).  That'll be sign language, art and "homeschool happenings" which is topical.

I am very excited about S doing school.  He begged a lot for it last year and I can't believe how much he already knows!  And I am interested to see how I'll do teaching 3 kids.  It's an adventure, right!?

I am having some technical problems here at home regarding the DSL and my phone... So I won't be blogging for a bit.  But I'll be back...I think.

Posted in School Daze

I talked with Hub last night about K's math.  I checked out Family Math from the library and I really liked some of the activities in those books.  So I marked them to copy and was all excited telling Hub about it.  He made a frowny face.  He really thinks we need something more drill-focused.  I don't really think it matters too much since K is only 5.  But anyway, so I have asked Hub to do some math work with K so that he can see what I am talking about with her and how she does with Math-U-See.  So for now, J and K are doing MUS (J Alpha and K Primer again, parts of it) and S will do 1A of Singapore.  We will supplement on occasion with the Family Math games.  I suppose it might change after Hub works with K.  We'll see, right Hub?....

Posted in School Daze

I was thinking I should ask the collective brain about a math book/curriculum for my darling K.  Let's just say she is...well, focused, precise.  She likes things to be predictable and where she put them (because they have an order, after all).  She also will walk into a wall if she isn't paying attention.  She likes to color, paint, dance, etc. She likes math on a computer game too.  Math-U-See makes her sad.  She likes the blocks, but nothing else.  I can't turn in the blocks for her evaluation.  So I am seeking your advice.  I mentioned before that I was going to do Singapore Math with her since she loves the little pictures and likes all the different hands-on stuff that you have to do with it.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Posted in Random Thoughts

If you haven't noticed (and you probably haven't) I have been going to the gym now for a little over a month.  I am losing weight very slowly (which is good).  But I have to say that I feel GREAT!  I have not had any symptoms of depression since I started exercising.  Now, I drag myself in there (almost) every day.  I do not want to do it.  But when I am done, I feel fabulous.  I have been much nicer to be around.  Ask anyone.

I am slowly tackling my to-do list.  SuperOrganized was kind enough to come over last week and help me rearrange all my shelves for the new school year.  We switched our living and dining rooms so all the books were then in the wrong place.  SuperOrganized helped me fix it.  Thank goodness!

Yesterday I tackled the basement and I nearly finished it.  I was interrupted by a welcome phone call from a friend.  So today I am going to finish that; it should take less than an hour.

As far as my back-to-school to-do list goes, that leaves the spare room.  This is where we store our clothes for the kids to grow into, Christmas gifts, etc.  It is the dumping ground.  I can't stand it.  I think it'll take about 2 days, really.  Considering the interruptions of children and all.

I hope to have all my projects done by next week so that I can spend it concentrating on the upcoming school year.  I am quite sure I have some last minute things to do...  Like order their math books.  We decided the keep K in Kinder this year instead of push her to 1st grade.  J will go ahead to 1st.  S will do preschool.  I am also going to get K the Singapore Math instead of MUS.  She can do MUS, but she did better with Singapore.  So at least for this year, that is what I'll do.  They have been asking everyday to do school.  I think I'll make a countdown or something.

If you've been wondering what I've been doing (and probably you haven't), there it is.

Posted in Random Thoughts

It's a constant struggle.  As much as I adore my mother, I admit that she did not instill any sort of cleaning knowledge in me.  I had to ask my grandma a few years ago what she used to mop her floors (soap and water).  I have had to ask SuperOrganized what she uses to clean her kitchen (soap and water).  Anyway, I was a spoiled brat as a child and never did anything unless company was coming.  Sound familiar to anyone out there?

It turns out this was a bad habit to learn, as I have figured out running a home with 4 kids 6 and under.  It is A LOT of work.  Throw MOPS and homeschooling on top of it, and it's just crazy.  I really want homemaking to be a big priority in my life.  It is always in the back of mind, mostly as, "I have so much work to get done."  Or "wow, is that a whole inch of dust on the mantle?"  If you look back to some old posts, you will learn that I have a cleaning schedule.  This really does work WHEN YOU FOLLOW IT.  I haven't followed it at all this summer.  Now I am paying the price.

I find that most of the problem is housekeeping vs. homemaking.  So, for example, the thoughts about how no one notices what I do, what's the difference it'll get messed up again, I am just a maid, etc. are the thoughts of a housekeeper.  Like I am the hired help.  The thoughts of a homemaker might include...well, I wanted to put an example, but I am hard-pressed.  I want to be a homemaker.  Can anyone help me with my attitude?

Posted in Random Thoughts

After over a year of prayer and consideration, and a summer of "church shopping", we have finally found a new church.  Yeah!  I am just so thrilled to be done living in church limbo.  There are a number of reasons for leaving our current church, and it was a decision that we really agonized over.  It is amazing, because Hub and I both knew that after the visit to the new church that it was the one.  AND the sermon began with a story about why people choose churches...

I really have been feeling better lately than I have felt in a LONG time.  It is a combination of exercise and spiritual growth, I think.  I've been good about my QT lately, and my prayer life.  And the exercise just makes me happy!  Of course, I still have a loooooong list of things to do before school starts back up again.  I really need to make an actual list.  I think that will help me get through it.

I am reading a really good book, Loving Life as an At-Home Mom by Donna Otto.  She addresses one of my major hang-ups, which is the value the world places on moms vs. the value God places on moms.  It is easy for me, especially when I am feeling rather down, to get caught up in comparing myself to others and seeing all they have and (sometimes) wanting it.  Like a week's vacation in a hotel.  Or 8 hours to myself.  Whatever it is.  I admit I struggle with contentment.  Well, that is like telling God that He isn't good enough!  Ouch.  I suppose I have been dancing around that little tidbit for a while but I read it plainly in this book and it really struck me.  What a brat I have been.  Thank you God that you love me anyway!

Posted in Random Thoughts

I think it's at least 90 degrees in my house.  Isn't that great?  I am getting ready to take a quick shower to cool off and put on my jammies because they are my skimpiest piece of clothing (ok, 2 pieces).  I mean, that I can be seen in (wink, wink).

J and K have finished 1 week of swim lessons.  1 more to go.  Let's see....we also went to Raccoon Creek State Park to the beach.  That was nice, though my back crisped a bit.  A small price to pay.

Hub is working late tonight.  Oh, guess what?  I picked my first (of 5000?) yellow squash today.  And my first cherry bomb pepper.  How thrilling.  I just love growing things.  When we move (someday....) I really hope we have more space for a garden.  Right now I only have 5 squash plants, 3 spindly sad pepper plants, and 4 tomato plants.  Oh, and 3 (or 4, depending on if the weeds are winning today) cucumber plants.  I mean, there's just so much MORE I could've planted.  Alas, maybe next year.

Does anyone out there have a pop up trailer that sleeps at least 6 that they love and would recommend?  We are in the still-thinking-about-it stage, but we think we want to try to get one next year.  We are too old to sleep on the ground.

After all the vacation drama here this summer, we finally made a decision.  First we were going to Canaan Valley, WV.  Then we were going to Rehoboth (well, Dewey beach), DE.  Now, we are back to seeing the White House.  Our lovely friends have agreed to put us up (put up with us?) in Baltimore so we will visit the prez, then go to the aquarium in Baltimore the next day, then head home.  I think we might try to go to the Spy Museum.  Has anyone been there?  It looks so fun but I don't know if it's good for little kids or not.

I suppose that is all.  I am melting, so I am off to the shower.